Coronation Street’s Ben Actor Aaron McCusker Reveals He First Auditioned for Todd Grimshaw
Coronation Street newcomer Aaron McCusker has shared a surprising revelation about his road to Weatherfield fame, admitting that he originally auditioned for the role of Todd Grimshaw before landing his current part as Ben Driscoll.
From Todd Grimshaw to the Rovers Return
Aaron, 46, made his Coronation Street debut this week alongside Catherine Tyldesley, who has reprised her role as Eva Price. In Monday’s episode, Eva and Ben arrived back in Weatherfield to take over the iconic Rovers Return, joined by Ben’s outspoken mother Maggie, played by Father Ted legend Pauline McLynn.
But according to Aaron, his connection to Coronation Street started long before Ben Driscoll ever existed. Speaking at a recent press event, he revealed, “I auditioned for the part of Todd back in the day!” referring to the character now played by Gareth Pierce.
Six Auditions Before Landing the Role
The Shameless star admitted that his journey to the cobbles wasn’t an easy one. “This was my sixth time auditioning for Coronation Street,” he said. “Every time, it wasn’t always for a lead role — the last one was for about 14 episodes. I was in a play in Dublin when my agent called me to say they wanted to see me for this, and I got very excited.”
He also recalled the familiar disappointment of previous auditions. “My agent would always do that phone call: ‘Aw, it didn’t go your way, but they really love you and want to hold out for something bigger.’ I’d think, ‘Yeah, sure, I’ll believe it when I see it!’” Aaron laughed. “But they were true to their word. When they called about this and said it was for the landlord of the Rovers, I thought, you can’t get much bigger than that!”
Facing His “Audition Nemesis”
Aaron revealed that competition for the role of Ben was fierce, with four other actors in the running — many of whom he frequently sees at other auditions. He even joked about having a friendly rival in the industry.
“My nemesis is Emmett Scanlan!” he said, laughing. “We’re always up for the same roles and he always gets them. But I knew Emmett was working this time and he wasn’t on the list!”
A Dream Role at Last
After years of near misses, Aaron’s persistence has finally paid off. As Ben Driscoll, he steps into one of Coronation Street’s most iconic settings — the Rovers Return — promising plenty of drama, family feuds, and charm.
With Ben, Eva, and Maggie now firmly installed behind the bar, fans can expect the Driscolls to make their mark in true Weatherfield fashion.